Tuesday, November 14, 2017
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
The couple accused of stealing a cash box from St. Christine Church on Sunday morning both said at their arraignments they have a history of drug abuse.
The woman accused of taking the box, Heather Bara, 39, of South Schenley Avenue, said she was actually off drugs for several years before she met her co-defendant, Johanan Pandone, 33, also of South Schenley Avenue, and after being around his addiction, she became addicted as well.
Both were arraigned in municipal court Monday – Pandone on charges of possession of drugs and tampering with evidence as well as a warrant, and Bara on a charge of possession of drugs and theft.
Pandone’s bond was set at $10,000 on the two felonies as well as an additional $5,000 on his warrant. Bara’s bond was set at $7,500.
When asked if she could afford an attorney, Bara talked at length about her addiction, her desire to resume a normal life and her sorrow for stealing the box from the church, which police reports estimated had between $300 and $400 inside.
At one point, Bara yawned, and visiting Judge Dino Prassinos asked her if she was sleepy.
“No,” she replied. “I’m going through withdrawal.”
When asked why he could not afford a lawyer, Pandone said he lost his job. When asked why he lost his job, he said: “Because of my drug addiction.”
Reports said officers were called about 11:25 a.m. to St. Christine Church on South Schenley Avenue, where witnesses told police a woman went to mass, left before communion, then grabbed a cash box from a church raffle that was by the door. The woman, later identified as Bara, told workers: “I’m sorry I have to do this,” grabbed the box, and got inside a Volvo covered with bumper stickers that drove away.
A short time later, officer Seann Carfolo spotted the car at Scheetz and South Schenley avenues and pulled it over. Reports said he told Bara and Pandone they were suspects in the theft. Bara confessed, reports said. She also dropped a bag of heroin on the ground, reports said.
When Pandone was taken to the Mahoning County jail, officers found a ripped up bag of suspected heroin where he was sitting.
City Prosecutor Dana Lantz said the two went to buy heroin with the money they took, but they instead ended up buying Fentanyl.
“I didn’t mean to hurt anybody yesterday,” Bara said. “I told the lady I was sorry. I just saw an opportunity.”